Resurrection Sunday 2018 (John 20:1-10)
Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, & saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 So she ran & went to Simon Peter & the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, & said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, & we do not know where they have laid him.” 3 So Peter went out w/ the other disciple, & they were going toward the tomb. 4 Both were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter & reached the tomb first. 5 And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, & went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 & the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying w/ the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, & he saw & believed; 9 for as yet they did not u’stand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went back to their homes.
Is what we believe right? Think. Muslims are just as sincere as WE are. Mormons & Jehovah’s Witnesses are as convinced they’re right as we are. Atheists are as certain there is no God as we are God is real! Do we believe because all we’ve known is Christianity? What if we had been born in Syria, Iran, or Afghanistan… would we be Muslim? So…
Who IS right? Who has 100%, absolute, complete, indisputable, exclusive truth? OR, is as long as a person believes in “God” is sincere, are they saved too?
We are confident in what we BELIEVE because it is TRUE… it is NOT true because we believe it. There is a difference!
Rejecting The Truth (Jesus!) is Tragic! Jesus warned in Jn 8:45 “B/c I tell you the truth you don’t believe.” A Rich Man in hell heard some won’t believe even if someone rose from the dead (Lk 16:31). Sadly, those who reject truth think they’re wise but they are fools (Ro 1:22). Rejecting The Truth (Jesus) is eternally tragic! (T’sition)
At the Triumphal Entry Jesus was praised… but days later people demanded His crucifixion. Barabbas was freed & Jesus was crucified. Everyone at Jesus’ crucifixion mocked him. Mt 27:42-44…
(The religious leaders said) “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.'” 44 And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way. (AND)
Mk 15:29 Those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads & saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple & rebuild it in three days, 30 save yourself, & come down from the cross!”
Had we been there we’d have mocked him too. But after he was raised MANY believed (Like us), including some Pharisees!
It was dark for three hours as God poured His eternal wrath on His Son for everyone who would believe. Jesus cried out, “It is finished!” and He died. REMEMBER! Jesus CHOSE to die! Jn 10:17-18…
For this reason the Father loves me, b/c I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, & I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.
After Jesus died He was taken down & prepared for burial. They cleaned His body wrapping Him w/ 75 lbs of spices from Nico (Jn 19:39). He was then buried in an unused, borrowed tomb (Joe Arimathea[1]).
This destroys the Shroud of Turin myth. It is NOT (!) the burial cloth of Jesus. Blood doesn’t flow when a person has died… after a body is cleaned![2] IF it were Jesus’ burial cloth there’d be massive evidence of the 75 lbs of spices (But there isn’t). THEN, God would NOT allow the cloth to remain as people would venerate it as an idol.
From Fri PM to Mon AM, Scripture is silent. During that time Jesus was in heaven. What? Remember Jesus told the thief, “Today (!) you will be with Me in paradise {Heaven}” (Lk 23:43).
Then comes Monday. As Jn 20:1-10 records, the stone was rolled away. Not to let Jesus out, BUT TO SHOW HE WASN’T THERE! There is a difference!! (Pause) Now For a FewTruth Proofs…
Truth 1: Women? In Jesus’ day women could not testify in court. Their witness was considered unreliable. If Jesus’ resurrection was made up, they’d never have chosen to use women as witnesses! That WOMEN were included in the narrative as first witnesses to Jesus resurrection can only be explained one way… IT IS TRUE! They didn’t expect what they found. An angel said (Lk 24:5-7)
Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but has risen. Remember how He told you… 7 that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men & be crucified & on the third day rise.[3]
Often Jesus said He would be arrested… die… & rise again! But they didn’t get it and had to be reminded by the angel…
The women ran to tell the Apostles. John & Peter returned & found the tomb empty. The women were to tell His Apostles He would see them in Galilee (Mt 28:7).
Truth 2: Appeared To Many. Appeared to the Apostles, w/out Thomas present. Thomas said he wouldn’t believe unless he saw Jesus & touched him. Then Jesus appeared again WITH Thomas present.
When Thomas encountered the resurrected Jesus he said, “My Lord and my God” (Jn 20:28). Jesus replied, “Have you believed b/c you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (Jn 20:29). That’s us!! (Pause) But there is more! Jesus appeared over 500 AT ONE TIME! 1 Cor 15:3-6…
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance w/ the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance w/ the Scriptures, 5 & that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than 500 brothers AT ONE TIME, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.
Paul gave indisputable proof of Jesus’ resurrection. How it fulfilled OT Scripture. Then proof people could check if they doubted. Jesus appeared to “More than 500 at one time most of whom were still alive!”
Why so important? There aren’t mass hallucinations. If they doubted, they could talk to those who saw Jesus themselves!
Truth 3: The Historical Record… (Luke 1:1-4)
Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses & ministers of the word have delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may have CERTAINTY concerning the things you have been taught.
Being a physician, Luke observed evidence then drew his conclusion. This is the process he followed regarding the life, ministry, death, & resurrection of Jesus. He wrote his findings so Theophilus (And others) could know with certainty what they had been told/taught was TRUE.
Truth 4. People will die for many reasons. They will NOT die for what they know is a lie! The Apostles were murdered (Not John) for preaching Jesus was alive… was God… & the ONLY way of salvation!
They could have lived IF they’d denied Jesus… but they could not & would not deny WHO they knew was the Truth! As Jesus Himself said (John 14:6)…
I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father EXCEPT THROUGH ME.
Christianity ALONE is TRUE. THAT is why we believe it. Jesus DID live. He WAS born of a virgin. He NEVER sinned. He died… three days later came back to life… ascended to heaven… & He WILL return.
The ONLY way to be saved is through Jesus. There is no other name under heaven whereby men MUST be saved. Jesus is THE way, THE truth, and THE life… no one goes to God The Father but by Him! Again, Jesus is THE ONLY WAY TO BE SAVED. (P-A-U-S-E)
Believing isn’t enough. You must believe TRUTH! Only Christians believe b/c OF truth! All other religions believe demonic lies… and don’t know it. They have been blinded by the god (Little “g”) of this world. Where do I get that? Paul wrote it in 2 Cor 4:4…
The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
What about you? Do you believe The Truth? Do you believe the Historical Truth? I don’t say this arrogantly… but unless a person trusts in Christ ALONE for salvation, they will not see God.
Today is the day of salvation! Acts 16:31, “Believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.”
Endnotes:
[1] Mt 27:57-61; Mk 15:43-47; Lk 23:50-56; Jn 19:38-42. John 19:39-40, “Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. 40 So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews.”
[2] https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/367843/jewish/The-Taharah.htm
[3] Mt 27:63; Mk 8:31, 9:31, 10:34; Lk 18:33